Byron Allen's show Comics Unleashed will air in the 11:35pm time slot previously occupied by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS, starting Friday. The move follows the cancellation of Colbert's show, which CBS attributed to financial reasons, though some speculate political factors were involved.
Allen, 65, has a unique arrangement with CBS: he will pay the network for the time slot through a 16-month lease agreement and sell advertising for the show himself. CBS executives said the deal provides 'immediate profitability' for the network, which had been spending around $110m to $120m on Colbert and $30m to $40m on After Midnight. Allen noted that CBS no longer has to spend that money, calling it a 'gargantuan win' for both parties.
Comics Unleashed, an apolitical comedy panel show, has been running for 20 years and began airing in the slot after Colbert's show in September. Allen emphasised that he is not trying to replace Colbert, calling him 'phenomenal' and 'fantastic'. The show features five comedians with the sole purpose of making people laugh, avoiding political, racist, sexist, antisemitic, or homophobic humour.
Allen argued that political humour in late-night shows is losing viewers, with repeats down 52%, while Comics Unleashed repeats are down only 14%. 'People are totally good with not doing political humour,' he said. 'Just show up if you want to laugh.'
Beyond the CBS slot, Allen recently acquired a majority stake in BuzzFeed for up to $120m, adding to his media portfolio that includes the Weather Channel and local TV networks. He described his vision as building 'the world's biggest media company', starting from his dining room table in 1993.
